As an alumnus from Columbia Southern University, it may surprise you to learn that in this great big world, you are surrounded by 30,000 others who have shared similar experiences at your Alma Mater. In the virtual realm, it is far too easy to be surrounded by many people, yet still feel completely alone and isolated. This was the driving force behind the creation of the Student and Alumni Engagement department in late 2013. We strove...

Understand the difference between leading and managing Originally published in Firehouse Magazine Have you ever heard somebody be congratulated on a new promotion only to respond, “I’m not sure if it’s congratulations or condolences?” The fact is, very few of us are ever promoted into a position that we didn’t want or ask for. After all, how many folks have been promoted “against their will?” In most cases, we spend considerable time,...

Dr. Julia E. Antoine, MBA, 2006 Dr. Julia E. Antoine began writing professionally at the age of 19. At that time, she wrote short stories for the local radio station in her hometown is St. Lucia. She gave up writing when she moved to the United States to attend college. She has since earned several degrees, including two masters (one from CSU) and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University in Boston....

As a career counselor, receiving an email like the one above – unsolicited – is the greatest type of update one who works to “empower individuals to reach their idea of success” can receive. I began working with Daniel in March 2015 when he called Career Services to ask what he could do with a Master’s degree in Occupational Health and Safety with an Environmental Management concentration. He explained that his undergraduate...

Are you having a hard time deciding what to do in your career? Do you feel like a change is in order but your conflicting feelings about your current employer are keeping you from making a change? If you can answer “yes” to either of these questions, you are not alone. Many people experience high levels of anxiety when contemplating a career change, so much so that they cannot find the confidence or motivation to move forward,...